10 
MUNGO PARK'S 
attempted to proceed, we should be forced to leave some 
of our loads in the woods. , > fwiMiii hiij** 
At Jindey they dye very Jine blues with the indigo leaves . 
I readily embraced the opportunity, during our halt, to 
make myself acquainted with the process, which I saw in 
all its ditFerent stages. 
Mode of dying Cotton of a Jine blue colour with the leaves 
of the Indigo Plant. 
A large quantity of wood-ashes is collected (the woods 
preferred for the purpose are the mimosa nitta, and mimosa 
pulverulenta,) and put into an unglazed earthen vessel 
which has a hole in its bottom ; over which is put some 
straw. Upon these ashes water is poured, which, filtrating 
through the hole in the bottom of the vessel, carries with 
it the potass contained in the ashes, and forms a very strong 
lye of the colour of strong beer: this lye they call sai-gee, 
ash-water. 
Another pot is filled not quite quarter full of the leaves 
of the indigo plant, either fresh or dried in the sun (those 
used at this time were dried), and as much of the sai-gee 
poured on it as will fill the pot about half full. It is 
allowed to remain in this state for four days, during which 
it is stirred once or twice each day. 
The pot is then filled nearly full of sai-gee and stirred 
